Amazon solves wait-at-home-for-deliveries problem

Amazon is planning to roll out digital lockers in the UK, so people with busy schedules can go to pick up their online purchases instead of taking the day off work to wait for the postman.

The first of these 'click-and-collect' points will be at the One New Change shopping centre in London, Retail Weekreported.

Apparently the lockers, which will also be tried out at 7 Eleven stores in the US, feature a screen and keypad so you can enter a pin number/barcode you're sent by email and, hey presto, the correct drawer unlocks with your Amazon goodies inside.

The new lockers will give Amazon a physical presence on the high street, which many pundits seem to think will be a good thing, even if it does seem like it rather defeats the purpose of shopping online.

In fact, click-and-collect services seem to be gaining in popularity. Argos frequently cites the service as responsible for driving its internet sales and it is also popular for online grocery stores and technology retailers such as Currys. ®